“Congratulations, Gabby; you did an amazing job!” veteran sprinter Justin Gatlin congratulated Gabby Thomas following her stunning victory in the women’s 200-meter final at the Paris Olympics.
Speaking on the Ready Set Go podcast on YouTube, Gatlin revealed that he had been watching Thomas’s performances since the 2024 Texas Relays, where she began her outdoor season, and expressed his awe at her progress.
The strong start to her season was fantastic and culminated in an impressive Olympic campaign, where she secured three gold medals in the women’s 200-meter, 4×100-meter, and 4×400-meter relays.
“You captured that gold. You made your dreams come true. Very, very proud of you.”
He acknowledged Thomas’s dedication to her Olympic journey, which resulted in the three gold medals, and also highlighted her role as an inspiration to the community and young athletes.
The 42-year-old pointed out a lesser-known fact about Thomas: she took a year off to pursue her passion. Thomas had decided to become a professional in 2018 rather than complete her last year of NCAA eligibility at Harvard.
The retired athlete speculated about Thomas‘s future in track and field, suggesting she might aim to become a World Champion in the 200 meters at the upcoming 2025 Tokyo World Championships.
Thomas also made history at the Stade de France by winning gold in all three events she entered, becoming the first American to achieve this feat since Allyson Felix’s gold medal victory in the 2012 London Olympics.
Reclaiming glory 12 years after the 2012 London Olympics
Thomas restored the glory the United States sought since Felix’s gold medal victory in the 2012 London Olympics. She breezed through her heats and semifinals and faced a formidable field in the finals, including the 100-meter Olympic champion, Julien Alfred.
At the beginning of the race, Julien Alfred had the fastest reaction time (0.136 seconds), while Thomas had a time of 0.165 seconds. However, the American athlete kept her composure, controlling her pace until the final curve, where she unleashed her speed in the closing meters.
Thomas won the gold medal with an impressive time of 21.83 seconds, being the only athlete in the competition to run under 22 seconds. Alfred secured the silver with 22.08 seconds, while Brittany Brown took the bronze in 22.20 seconds.
